I've been told I'm NOT a real vegan (not here!) that I'm making a mockery of the word by calling myself vegan.

Why?

I have rescue hens, ex bats. They are living their retirement happily free range and ...they lay eggs.Now I'm frugal as well as vegan and yup we eat them (the eggs that is).

I can't stop them laying eggs and I don't exploit them ,harm them, stop them behaving naturally to make them lay. I don't lay on lights in the winter, as hybreds they don't go broody, they lay their eggs and its the same to them as taking a dump :P I just look after them.

The way I see it is that is not different from me having say a rescue sheep and shearing his wool. He'd HAVE to be sheared and I'd HAVE to dispose of the wool after.

We don't ever EVER buy eggs or eat products with eggs in, come winter when the old girls don't lay we don't eat egg, that simple.

So.... Am I OK, or should I get my coat?

Oh, and when the happy day comes that there are no rescue hens to rehome I'll do without!

This has come up many times on the ppk, and this is usually the consensus:

1. You are a very compassionate vegetarian, as mel c says, but not vegan, because vegans don't knowingly eat animal products, however ethically they are sourced.

2. You can feed the eggs back to the chicken. They like it and it's good for them, so everyone wins!

3. The reason it's not that cool to call yourself vegan is because it confuses people that aren't vegan, and muddies the term. Like, I might get fed eggs at someone's house because their other vegan friend eats eggs so why wouldn't I.

But don't get your coat! We love you regardless of your rescue chicken egg status.

_________________my roommate spilled tuna juice on the bathroom floor while he was eating on the toilet! should i bleach the floor or just tear up the tile? - acrVegan Coloradical

We had this subject come up on the old forum before and yeah since vegan means not eating animal products including eggs, even if the source is ethical, that isn't vegan. Others in similar instances give eggs away to those who do eat eggs or accept eating them isn't vegan.

_________________You are all a disgrace to vegans. Go f*ck yourselves, especially linanil.

So, do you have to eat the eggs? I really don't know anything about hens but I am assuming that if you don't have a rooster then it's not like the eggs would even develop into chickens, right? In that case what is wrong with just not eating them or donating them to a food bank or something.

I think it's awesome that you rescued some animals that needed a home! And this is a good example of why "labels" can suck, because yeah, I think technically you are not a vegan if you are eating eggs...

Labels suck :PI find I say vegan as otherwise people assume that I eat dairy and eggs (and as I said , other eggs are a nono!) so I kind of find myself in this no mans land of more than veggie less than vegan :P

So, do you have to eat the eggs? I really don't know anything about hens but I am assuming that if you don't have a rooster then it's not like the eggs would even develop into chickens, right? In that case what is wrong with just not eating them or donating them to a food bank or something.

I think it's awesome that you rescued some animals that needed a home! And this is a good example of why "labels" can suck, because yeah, I think technically you are not a vegan if you are eating eggs...

This is true, no cockeral so no fertalised eggs, they are just hen periods :PMy dogs get lots of the eggs as well, but I'm happy to be the ethical veggie here ;)

Labels suck :PI find I say vegan as otherwise people assume that I eat dairy and eggs (and as I said , other eggs are a nono!) so I kind of find myself in this no mans land of more than veggie less than vegan :P

Can't win ;)

I think "strict vegetarian" would work in this case, even if you want to say "I eat a mostly vegan diet" I don't think its too bad at all!

_________________I was really surprised the first time I saw a penis. After those banana tutorials, I was expecting something so different. -Tofulish

Labels suck :PI find I say vegan as otherwise people assume that I eat dairy and eggs (and as I said , other eggs are a nono!) so I kind of find myself in this no mans land of more than veggie less than vegan :P

Can't win ;)

I think "strict vegetarian" would work in this case, even if you want to say "I eat a mostly vegan diet" I don't think its too bad at all!

AFAIK strict vegetarians avoid eggs and dairy so I don't think that would work. OP you are an ovo vegetarian*.

Labels suck :PI find I say vegan as otherwise people assume that I eat dairy and eggs (and as I said , other eggs are a nono!) so I kind of find myself in this no mans land of more than veggie less than vegan :P

Can't win ;)

I think "strict vegetarian" would work in this case, even if you want to say "I eat a mostly vegan diet" I don't think its too bad at all!

AFAIK strict vegetarians avoid eggs and dairy so I don't think that would work. OP you are an ovo vegetarian*.

*Link

I get that technically I am an ovo veggie BUT that then implies that I eat eggs rather than specific eggs. I just find it easier to tell strangers I'm vegan and then clarifiy it with friends later on.

I can't tell if this was directed at me or not, but for clarity, my comment was meant in no way to be snarky, just honest and straightforward. The PPK loves all awesome people, vegan or not!

Thats cool, I never thought that :P Asked for an opinion didn't I? And seriously, I've been chased off vegan forums with burning torches for being what I am ;) This place is pretty awsome so far :D

Although I don't know about other vegan forums, we have omnivores, vegetarians, vegans and every variation here. I think the forum rules say it best but just support a vegan diet, don't post nonvegan recipes/food pictures and we are good :)

_________________You are all a disgrace to vegans. Go f*ck yourselves, especially linanil.

Glad it seems laid back here. I'm an "every little helps" person and can't stand omnie and veggie bashing. Lots of people do what they can do and some make it all the way! You always catch more flies with honey/agave syrup than vinegar :P

I don't see a problem with you calling yourself vegan when you go out somewhere to eat and you want to be treated as such. 'Vegan' is just a word used to describe something, and as far as I'm concerned it doesn't matter if you tell a waiter somewhere that you're vegan so that you're not served dairy or eggs. It's easier than telling them your life story. He/she doesn't care if you eat eggs at home.

It's kind of the same thing as maybe going to a cafe and telling a barista that you're lactose intolerant to make sure that they're more careful about keeping milk away from your drink. It might be a lie, but who cares? I'm sure baby Jesus is cool with these little white lies.

But yeah, calling yourself vegan to people that know you eat eggs could be confusing and, well, incorrect. But it sounds like you know that.

I get that technically I am an ovo veggie BUT that then implies that I eat eggs rather than specific eggs. I just find it easier to tell strangers I'm vegan and then clarifiy it with friends later on.

And you saying you're vegan implies that you don't eat eggs at all, which isn't true.

I perhaps haven't made myself clear, I'm not trying to split hairs and anyone who knows me well enough to know I have the ladies and sometimes partake of an egg knows (because I tell them!) that I am not strictly a vegan in the technical sense but they know not to serve me egg is I go to their home for example.My point was that in a casual situation its easy to say "no thanks, I'm vegan" when offered food than say "No thanks I'm an ovo vegetarian... no I don't drink milk or eat cheese and Oh by the way I only eat the eggs my girls lay so i won't be eating anything you have on offer here anyway."

Doesn't quite trip off the tongue does it ;)

So I'm not telling people that vegans eat eggs... which seems to be the main worry vegans have when I say this. I do set people straight :)

Calling yourself vegan first and then clarifying that you eat your hens' eggs will mislead people as to what veganism is. We've all been in some sort of situation where someone attempts to feed us fish, or eggs, or something with 'just a little bit' of chicken broth, because they 'knew another vegan who ate that.'

I understand that since you are mostly vegan, you call yourself vegan for convenience. But honestly I don't see why it's difficult to say "I eat a mostly vegan diet except for my own hens' eggs." That pretty well covers it and makes it clear that veganism is distinct and separate from eating eggs, without taking two hours to explain.

I get that technically I am an ovo veggie BUT that then implies that I eat eggs rather than specific eggs. I just find it easier to tell strangers I'm vegan and then clarifiy it with friends later on.

And you saying you're vegan implies that you don't eat eggs at all, which isn't true.

I perhaps haven't made myself clear, I'm not trying to split hairs and anyone who knows me well enough to know I have the ladies and sometimes partake of an egg knows (because I tell them!) that I am not strictly a vegan in the technical sense but they know not to serve me egg is I go to their home for example.My point was that in a casual situation its easy to say "no thanks, I'm vegan" when offered food than say "No thanks I'm an ovo vegetarian... no I don't drink milk or eat cheese and Oh by the way I only eat the eggs my girls lay so i won't be eating anything you have on offer here anyway."

Doesn't quite trip off the tongue does it ;)

So I'm not telling people that vegans eat eggs... which seems to be the main worry vegans have when I say this. I do set people straight :)